Bad Hugh eBook

She had sent this letter to him three weeks before,
and now she stood caressing the beautiful Rocket,
who sometimes proudly arched his long neck, and then
looked wistfully at the sad group gathered around him,
as if he knew that was no ordinary parting. Colonel
Tiffton, who had heard what was going on, had ridden
over to expostulate with Mrs. Worthington against
sending Rocket North. “Better keep him at
home,” he said, “and tell Hugh to come
back, and let those who had raised the muss settle
their own difficulty.”

The old colonel, who was a native of Virginia, did
not know exactly where he stood. “He was
very patriotic,” he said, “very, but hanged
if he knew which side to take—­both were
wrong. He didn’t go Nell’s doctrine,
for Nell was a rabid Secesh; neither did he swallow
Abe Lincoln, and he’d advise Alice to keep a
little more quiet, for there was no knowing what the
hotheads might do. He’d heard of Harney’s
threatening vengeance on all Unionists, and now that
Hugh was gone he might pounce on Spring Bank any night.”

“Let him!” and Alice’s blue eyes
flashed brightly, while her girlish figure seemed
to expand and grow higher as she continued: “he
will find no cowards here. I never touched a
revolver in my life. I am quite as much afraid
of one that is not loaded as of one that is, but I’ll
conquer the weakness. I’ll begin to-day.
I’ll learn to handle firearms. I’ll
practice shooting at a mark, and if Hugh is killed
I’ll—­oh, Hugh! Hugh—­”

She could not tell what she would do, for the woman
conquered all other feelings, and laying her face
on Rocket’s silken mane, she sobbed aloud.

“There’s pluck, by George!” muttered
the old colonel. “I most wish Nell was
that way of thinking.”

It was time now for Rocket to go, and ’mid the
deafening howls of the negroes and the tears of Mrs.
Worthington and Alice he was led away, the latter
watching him until he was lost to sight beyond the
distant hill, then, falling on her knees, she prayed,
as many a one has done, that God would be with our
brave soldiers, giving them the victory, and keeping
one of them, at least, from falling.

Sadly, gloomily the autumn days came on, and the land
was rife with war and rumors of war. In the vicinity
of Spring Bank were many patriots, but there were
hot Secessionists there also, and bitter contentions
ensued. Old friends were estranged, families were
divided, neighbors watched each other jealously, while
all seemed waiting anxiously for the result.
Toward Spring Bank the aspersions of the Confederate
adherents were particularly directed. That Hugh
should go North and join the Federal army was taken
as an insult, while Mrs. Worthington and Alice were
closely watched, and all their sayings eagerly repeated.
But Alice did not care. Fully convinced of the
right, and that she had yet a work to do, she carried
out her plan so boldly announced to Colonel Tiffton,
and all through the autumn months the frequent clash
of firearms was heard in the Spring Bank woods, where
Alice, with Mug at her side, like her constant shadow,
“shot at her marks,” hitting once Colonel
Tiffton’s dog, and coming pretty near hitting
the old colonel himself as he rode leisurely through
the woods.